Effects of gene transfer for human <i>AGGF1</i> by intramuscular administration of plasmid DNA on blood flow in a mouse ischemic hindlimb model.

<p><b>A</b>) Injection of <i>AGGF1</i> plasmid DNA increased blood flow compared to injection of DNA for an empty vector (control). <i>FGF-2</i> plasmid DNA was used as a positive control. The right femoral artery was ligated to mimic unilateral hindlimb ischemia. One group of ischemic mice received DNA for a human <i>AGGF1</i> expression plasmid, and the other group received DNA for a control empty plasmid one day after the ligation surgery. The ratio of blood flow in the ischemic leg over that in the nonischemic limb at the indicated time points (in days) was plotted. The blood flow was measured by high resolution microultrasound. <b>B</b>) Dose-response curve of blood flow for varying amounts of <i>AGGF1</i> plasmid DNA. <b>C</b>) Representative images from micro-ultrasound. R, ischemic leg undergone surgery and ligation; L, leg undergone mock surgery. *, <i>P</i><0.05 for comparing <i>AGGF1</i> vs control at the same time point; #, <i>P</i><0.05 for comparing <i>FGF2</i> vs control at the same time point; ★, <i>P</i><0.05 for comparing <i>AGGF1</i> vs FGF2 at the same time point.